Tampa, Florida (TDN) A United States appeals court has granted a request by lawyers for imprisoned reggae artist Buju Banton of Jamaica to have oral arguments made towards a new trial.
The ruling comes just about three months after his legal team headed by Harvard Law School professor, Charles Ogletree, submitted court documents requesting a new trial for their client.
Banton’s lawyers outlined numerous problems with the case that led to a drug conviction in 2011 for the singer. He was sentenced to ten years in prison after his arrest at his South Florida home in December 2009 and charged with conspiracy to distribute five or more kilogrammes of cocaine.
The appeals court has allowed for oral arguments in the case, a move welcomed by his lawyers.
Among the problems cited by the lawyers in his original trial was the fact that the government prosecution team used a paid informant to trap the reggae singer into a deal to buy and distribute cocaine.
Another concern of the lawyers is the fact that the conviction news surfaced that one of the jurors admitted that she researched aspects of the case during the trial, in contravention of the rules of the court. Although the juror was found in contempt of court Banton’s conviction was allowed to stand.
No date has yet been set for the new appeals court hearing.
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